Sprinkler-head.



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VALENTINE LAPHAM, Ol" CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application led. May 9, 1904. Serial No. 207,032.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, VALENTINE LAPHAM, acitizen of the United States7 residing at Chicago, certain new and useful 4Imprm'ements in Sprinkler-Heads, oi which the following is a specification.

Myv invention relates to what are commonly designated as sprinkler heads used in automatic fire sprinkler systems and intended, when "iired or fused, to i'irst release the air under pressure in the distributing pipesand then to sprinkle the water after the automatic opening of the valve, in case the so-called dry pipe s vstem, or torelease and sprinkle the water directly, in case of the so-called Wet pipe system.

The object of'my invention is to rovide a sprinkler` head which shall be simp e and inexpensive in its struct-ure as well as reliable and. sensitive in its operation. .As is well known, devices of this character must be reliable at all times, to normally prevent water loss and, in oase of fire, to prevent i'ire loss. The production of a sprinkler' head possessing .these qualities is the main object and desideration ol my invention. 4

l In the dra-wings, Figures l and 2 are elevataken from diilerent sides. ol' a. sprin- ,id embod ing my inventionjlfig. 3 a .2: Figs.

klei. sec ou thereof on line 3 3 of Fig.

Cook county, Illinois, have invented l l i 1i to .Si detail views ot' some of the component ler head illustrating the principleot ink invention as embodied in another l'orm of strut: Fig. a perspective of one of the members ol` the modi'licd strut and the bearrollers; F ig. 11 a. perspective oi another i'orni of strut; and Fig. 113 a section showing a modification olI thc-sprinkler head.

Qleierring to Figs. l to 8, the sprinkler head comprises the conventional voke l. dcllcctor 2, set screw 3 and head proper marked 4, provided 'with the outlet passage 5 normallv closed b v the Yllat disk valve 6and comprising, in addition7 the strut elements cronstituting mv invention and arranged within the voke for the purpose of normally holding the valve seated.

As herein shown, the strut device comprises the two strut arms 7 and 8 `which have a bearing on each other, off the centen. and

' i the strut device; Fig. 9 a section oi' a them.

bearing between the strut arms and the set screw and cap valve respectively and a roller bearing between the individual members or strut arms. 4

As illustrated illorc particularly in ifi-fg. 3. the strut arms ,have oppositel v directed sockets Ato receive the balls tl and lo bearing respectivelv against the valve which are likewise socketed to receive The bearing point or line between the individual strut arms consists ol' a roller l1, received in grooves as hereiiiafter explained.

The strut arms extend laterallv and as to their outer ends the same are similarly made except that such ends 7 and 5"* respectively are oppositelv curved so as to leave a space occupied by the fusible link hereinafter described.

'9, and 'whose under surface has a transverse groove T to receive the roller 11. The end oli the arm or extended portion 7 ol the.

strut arm 7 is provided with a notch 7" to rcceivc the fusible link hert-inul'tor particularly described. The construction of this strut arm is clearly shown in In and The other strut arm S, shown by itself in Fig. S, comprises a main body portion 8" from which its laterally extending arm 8 proceeds. 'l`he lower end of such portion 8b hasa [socket to receive. its ball 10 and its upper endI has a transverse groove (see Figs. B and S).

The particular method oi numui'acture of these. strut .arms is entirehv immaterial, as thev may be cast, stamped out oll shi-el metal or otherwise formed as desired,

From the description thus lar given, it` will be seein that the strut arms do not bear directly against cach other but through the mediun'i olI the roller ll. and likewise that they bear indirectlv screw and cap valve the balls.

is hereinbel'ore suggested, the outer or extended ends o'l' the. strut arms are curved and normally connected together b v capable ot collapsing when the solder thereon holding its .component part-s together is through the medium oi' fused and the tension transmitted from the adjusting screw exerts itself to throw the set screw and cap against. the adjusting the link strut arms out of lace in the sQ-called friring of 'the spriner head.

'brought intojuxtaposition as seen in Fig. 3,

they will conveniently receive between them in their pockets a roller 15, Fig. 5. vEach plate is cut away at 12b to accommodate the outer ends of the strut arms. The plates 12 with their 'roller 13 between them are soldered together with low fusible solderusually of about 165 degrees test, as required by underwriters boards. The link is slipped over two strut armsI made as described and the latter are assembled in the yoke with the roller 11 and balls 9 and- 10 in place. The proper tension 1s then applied, as usual, by the adjusting or set screw 3.

The strut arm 8 is otl such width as to fit between the parallel arms 7b of the other f strut as indicated in. Fig. 3, and the slot or bifurcation formed by such parallel arms is of such length as to permit the upper end of the strut arm 8 to clear the inner end oi such slot when the head is 'lired and the strut arms are snapped ,out of place.

In the form ofsprinkler head above described, the collapsibleelement parta-kes of the form and operation of a link but my invention is applicable to the true forni of strut when the strain or pressure instead ot' a pulling one asin .the case of' a link is a pushing or compressing one. In Figs. 9, 10 and 1 1 l have shown such strut forim the same comprising the two similar plates 16 provided with bearing points 16 itting or bear ing a'gzrinstthe set screw and valve respectively. .These plates are also provided with the tongues l" l'orming the pockets to receive the pair ol' rollers '17 and are by prei'- erence provided 'with the end tongues 16". ln Fig. .l1 the strut comprises plates 18 similar to plates l but each' having a single roller pocket '18 and longitudinal ilange 1S.

,lt will be understood that the several diilerent novel features ol' my sprinkler head may be employed and utilized independently of each other, l'or instance the nove link construction may be employed in' a head m which tlm-roller l1 is dispensed'v with, and

likewisetheballs might be dispensed with.

So also the feature ol' the roller l or ol the regards theconstruction ol` the strut arms,"

such arms 19 of this construction being similar to eachother but arranged reversely to each other and heel to heel withthe roller 11 This roller 11, is of course positioned at a point out of lin`e\between the adjusting screw and the valve cap, so that the strut arms will be released when the link 12 collapses inthe manner hereinbefore described.

I claim:

ing two plates having side openings w ich register whenV the plates are in assembled position, and a cy indrical roller arranged transversely of the plates and within the openings thereof.

2. A sprinklerhead strut device comprising two plates having registering side openings and pockets formed thereat, and a roller arranged within the openings, said pockets being arranged to contain the fusible solder which is directly exposed.

3. A sprinkler head strut device compris ,ing two plates having tngues pressed out therefrom to form, pockets, ranged within such pockets.

4. A sprinkler head strut device arranged incombination with the valve and set screw ot' a sprinkler head and comprising strut arms bearing upon each other and having outer ends curved in opposite directions, one of said arms having parallel plates 7b witha Yheel portion 7e between them and the other of said `arms having an extension 8 bearin upon said heel portion, and a collapsible link arranged between said outer ends of the strut arms.

5. A sprinkler head strut device arranged in combination with the valve and set screw of. a sprinkler head and comprising strut arms bearing against the valve and screw respecthem, and a collapsible link consisting of two plates having a roller bearing between them tween theends of saidl arms, said plates having transverse openings registering with the pockets and receiving said roller.

6'. A sprinkler .head strut device arranged in combination with the valve and set screw ot' a sprinkle. head and comprising strut arms bearing against. the lscrew and valve respectively, and a collapsible link comprising two plates connecter-l with the outer ends ot' the arms respectivelyand having interior pockets opening on botliflaces of the plates, and a roller litting in said pockets intermediate their length. f 3

T. A sprinkler head in combination. with the valve and set screw oll a sprinhlei-.head and comprising strut arms bearing against .the screw andvalve respectively, and a collapsible link consisting. ol two plates having side pockets which register with each other when the plates are assen i l r l l i l. A sprinkler head strut device com risstrut device arranged interposed between them at their heels.

and a roller arx tively and having a roller bearing between 4,

intermediate their^length and arranged be- 1 bled and also having lugs lz, pins arranged 130 ser/,201

in said lugs olf s seid pockets.

A sprinkler head strut device arranged in combination with the valve and set screw. ci' a sprinkler head and comprising strut arms bearing against the screw and valve respecand collapsible link consisting of two plates having bearing lugs 12?, pins arranged in said lags and hooked over the Guter ends oi said arms, said plates having tongues 12b and pockets adjacent thereto,

' 7 ti very,

and a roller 15 arranged in said pockets be tween 'the plates.

t). A sprinkler head strut device arranged in combination with the valve and set screw ot a sprinkler head and comprising strut arms bearing agains t the screw and valve respecs tively, anda collapsible link consisting of two plates having bearing lugs, pins arranged in said lugs and hooked over'the outer ends ol said arms, said plates having pockets, and

a roller 15 arranged in said pockets between 1 the plates;

10. A sprinkler head strut device arranged in combination with the valve-and set screw ot a sprinkler' head and comprising strut arms i and 8 bearing against the set screwv and and hooked over the outer endsl arms, and a roller positioned Within valve respectively, and a collapsible link connecting t e outer ends of such arms, the arm 7 having parallel portions 7b bet-Ween v vhiehv the arm 8 fits; substantially as'described.

1 11. A sprinkler head strut device arranged in combination with the valve and set screw bearing 7b between WhiclL substantially as dein combination With the valve and 'set screw of a sprinkler head and com rising strut a'rms 7 an 8 bearin against t ev set screw' )and valve respective y, and a collapsible link connecting the outer ends of such arms, the arm 7 having parallel portions 7b and the arm 8 having a vertical portion 8b fitting between such portions and bearing against the other arm; substantially as described.

VALENTINE LAPHAM.

Vitnesses:

S, E. HIBBEN, Louis B. ERWIN. 

